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AT&T

Public Mobile to launch US Roaming Add-on

GeneralEdward Kiledjian

Public Mobile is a low-cost limited network Canadian mobile service provider. It has recently announced in its forums that it will be adding a new US Roaming add-on (option) through new deals struck with T-Mobile and AT&T.

The carrier has said this is in response to comments made in its forums and will come in 10-day chunks of phone only, text only, data only or a combo plan. 

Limited data is available but we expect the options to look like this:

  1. unlimited USA talk $CAD8
  2. unlimited text $CAD8
  3. 1GB of data for $CAD20

Let's compare the data rate to the pay per use rate of $US0.10 per MB. 1GB = 1000MB = $US100. Obviously the Public Mobile rate is cheaper. You can also buy the KnowRoaming unlimited data plan for $US7.99 per day which would cost $US79.99 for 10 days of unlimited data.

Let's compare it to Roam Mobility. A 1GB data only plan good for 30 days costs $CAD21.95 which is competitive. You can get their unlimited talk+text+data plan for only $4.95 / day ($CAD49.50 for 10 days of everything unlimited). If you add the 10 days of talk, text and 1GB of Data from PublicMobile, you get $36. 

Looking at above, my recommendation is to go with Roam Mobility. For $14 more, you get unlimited data for 10 days which will likely be more attractive to most users.

AT&T brings free solar charging to NY City

technologyEdward Kiledjian
Image by Jimmy_Joe under Creative Commons License

Image by Jimmy_Joe under Creative Commons License

AT&T is bringing back their solar street charging stations to NY city which will make thousands of tourists and locals happy. Your happiness should last until September when AT&T scoops up these stations and prepares them for winter hibernation.

45 of these will be distributed accross New York City (double the 2013 number). These are completely free and available to everyone (not just AT&T customers). 

The stations so have an internal battery which means they will charge your power hungry phone or tablet even at night.

Find these selfie saving devices in the following 5 burrows:

Manhattan:

  • Central Park
  • Marcus Garvey Park
  • Coenties Slip
  • Old Slip
  • Mannahatta
  • Pier 15
  • East River Esplanade
  • Bowling Green Park
  • South Street Seaport
  • Edgar Plaza
  • Union Square
  • Governor's Island

Queens:

  • Flushing Meadows Corona Park
  • Rockaway Beach

The Bronx:

  • Orchard Beach

Brooklyn:

  • Brooklyn Bridge Park
  • Coney Island
  • Brighton Beach

Staten Island:

  • South Beach
  • Midland Beach

You can read the details on AT&T's special webpage (link).

No room in Canadian market for 4th wireless carrier says AT&T

technologyEdward Kiledjian
ATT_Store.jpg

BNN is reporting that AT&T considered entering the Canadian market (similar to Verizon) but believes the market is too small to support a 4th national carrier.

Interestingly AT&T had a sizable ownership stake in Rogers in the early 2000's (selling their shares back to Rogers in 2004). Shifting Canadian foreign ownership rules are allowing these foreign entities to re-enter the Canadian market but they are all finding the market too small. 

The real marker of interest will be who actually bids on the new 700mhz wireless spectrum auction. Could one of the smaller competitors bet big and try to become the next national player?

BNN Article